platoon but was denied by van ##de ##gr ##if ##t . by nightfall , the japanese over ##ran and nearly ann ##ih ##ila ##ted the platoon , killing 24 marines with only a few wounded members of the platoon surviving . on 20 september , a patrol from eds ##on ' s raiders encountered st ##rag ##glers from ka ##wa ##guchi ' s retreating column and called in artillery fire that killed 19 of them . as the japanese reg ##roup ##ed west of the mata ##nik ##au , the u . s . forces concentrated on sho ##ring up and strengthening their lung ##a defenses . on 14 september , van ##de ##gr ##if ##t moved another battalion , the 3rd battalion , 2nd marine regiment (
platoon but was denied by vandegrift. by nightfall, the japanese overran and nearly annihilated the platoon, killing 24 marines with only a few wounded members of the platoon surviving. on 20 september, a patrol from edson's raiders encountered stragglers from kawaguchi's retreating column and called in artillery fire that killed 19 of them. as the japanese regrouped west of the matanikau, the u. s. forces concentrated on shoring up and strengthening their lunga defenses. on 14 september, vandegrift moved another battalion, the 3rd battalion, 2nd marine regiment (